Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief.

The highlights this week: China shows off its relationship with North Korea and Russia at a military parade, South Korea navigates a diplomatic dilemma, and the forecast for China’s electric vehicle market cools down.

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief.

The highlights this week: China shows off its relationship with North Korea and Russia at a military parade, South Korea navigates a diplomatic dilemma, and the forecast for China’s electric vehicle market cools down.

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China’s celebration of the 80th anniversary of its victory over Japan in World War II last week paraded both new weapons and old geopolitical allies.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was given a prominent place at the event alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a hot-mic moment, as Putin and Xi discussed the scientific prospects for extended lifespans, another voice (likely Kim) could be heard laughing in the background.

North Korea is China’s only remaining formal treaty ally, but last week’s events demonstrated a level of closeness not previously shown to Kim or to other North Korean leaders since the days of Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung.

The display prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to post on Truth Social that the three leaders were conspiring against the United States. But Xi may have been doing Putin a favor: China doesn’t particularly need North Korea right now, but Russia does. North Korea is supplying both arms and men to Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, while China’s support remains restricted to rhetoric and non-lethal aid.

Beijing has grown increasingly close to Pyongyang in recent years. A decade ago, North Korea was broadly unpopular in China, but today 76 percent of the Chinese public say that they see North Korea as a friend. Even if people are just saying what they think........

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